46

"makes not a great many real Physicians, but too many ignorant or conceited Doctors, and too great a Number of formal and rattle-headed Empiricks or Quacks."

I proceed to give a Specimen of the Author's Method, and I fhall pitch upon Sage, which is a common Herb.

I. Dr. Salmon gives the Arabick, Greek, and Latin Names of that Herb.

II. He obferves that there are two principal Species of Sage, viz. Garden-Sage, and Wild or Wood

Sage.

III. In the next Place, he enumerates the feveral Kinds of Garden-Sage * There are many Species of this Sort, fome of which grow not with us. The chief of thofe, which we have in our Gardens, are thefe following; viz. 1. Our common greater white or green-leaved Sage. 2. Our common Red Sage. 3. Great White Sage. 4. Sage of Virtue. 5. The moft Odoriferous Small Sage, or Spanish Sage. 6. Wormwood Sage, Roman Sage. 7. Party-coloured Sage. 8. Speckled Sage. The Figures of fome of thofe Kinds are to be found in this Chapter.

IV. The Author proceeds to give a full Description of thofe Eight Species of Sage; which he does in fo many diftinct Paragraphs.

V. Afterwards, he obferves at what Time they Flower, and have ripe Seed.

VI. The Qualities of that Plant make the Subject of the next Paragraph.

VII. Dr. Salmon mentions the Preparations. You may have (fays he) from Sage, 1. The Green Leaves, 2. The Juice. 3. The Effence. 4. An Infufion in Wine or Water. 5. A Powder of the Leaves. 6. An Oil, or Ointment. 7. A Cataplafm. 8. Pills. 9. A Gargariím. 10. A diftilled Water. 11. A Spirituous Tincture,

*

The Author difcourfes of Wild Sage in the next

Chapter,

Tincture. 12. An Acid Tincture. 13. An Oily TinAure. 14. A Spirit. 15. A diftilled Oil. 16. PoteStates or Powers. 17. An Elixir. 17. An Elixir. 18. A Conferve of the Flowers.

VIII. The Author fhews the Virtues of thofe Eighteen Preparations in fo many diftinct Articles. Several Readers will be furprised to find fo many Virtues afcribed to Sage. Such is the Method of the Author through the whole Book. This Herbal is a Work of a prodigious Labour, and the more valuable, because the Author has bestowed Twenty Years upon it.

ARTICLE II.

BARNABE BRISSONII, Senatus Parifienfis Præfidis, de Regio Perfarum Principatu Libri tres, poft Cl. Sylburgij Editionem, præter complures fublatos errores, Teftimoniorum Græcorum Verfione Latina auctiores; additis fparfim Obfervationibus, adjectifque Indicibus neceffariis, cura & opera Joн. HENRICI JOH. LEDERLINI, Linguar. Orient. Prof. Publ. Ord. Argentorati, Typis & Sumptibus Viduæ Joh. Frid. Spoor. M DCCX.

That is,

The THREE BOOKS of BARNABAS BRISSONIUS, Prefident of the Parlia ment of Paris, concerning the Empire of Perfia. A New Edition, with feveral Improvements, publish'd by JOHN HENRY B 4

L. E

LEDERLIN, Profeffor of the Oriental Languages. Strasburg, 1710. in 8vo.. pagg. 800. befides Five Indexes. Sold by P. Vaillant, in the Strand.

HE firft Edition of this Work came out at Paris

in the Year 1591. in 8vo. It is grown so scarce, that M. Lederlin could not get a Copy of it. The Third was alfo publifh'd at Paris in 1606. in 4to. Commelin printed the Second in 1595. in 8vo. with Sylburgius's Notes. This is the only Edition, that M. Lederlin could make use of. He informs us, that having undertaken to tranflate into Latin the Greek Paffages cited by Briffonius, he found feveral of them falfly ascribed to fome Authors, and others curtailed, spoiled, and wrongly quoted. He adds, that feveral Things, which were moft proper for the Author's Defign, had been frequently left out of thofe Paffages. Sylburgius took Notice of these Imperfections, but he owns that he could not mend them all. M. Lederlin has carefully rectified those Mistakes, and inferted several Notes at the Bottom of the Pages, wherein he gives Jan Account of his Emendations. He has also tranflared the Greek Quotations for the Benefit of those, who are not well skilled in the Greek Tongue. Befides, he has inferted the fhort Notes of Sylburgius, and divided each Book into Sections, for the Conveniency of the Readers.

What has been faid is fufficient to fhew, that this new Edition is preferable to the former. As for what concerns the Merit of this Work, I need not enlarge upon it. 'Tis well known, that Briffonius was a Learned Man, and that he has collected, with great Erudition, whatever is to be found in Ancient Authors concerning the Kings of Perfia, and the Religion, the Laws, Manners, Cuftoms, &c. of the Inhabitants of that famous Empire. Briffonius makes feveral Obfervations of great Use to understand several Paffages not only in profane Authors, but also in the Sacred Writers.

The

The Tragical End of Prefident Briffon is very deplorable. That Learned Magiftrate was apprehended, as he was going to the Parliament-House, by a Party of Rebels, who immediately carried him into a difmal Prison. A Man, who was his mortal Enemy, bad him fall upon his Knees, and fentenced him to Death, as being guilty of High-Treafon. The Prefident, amazed at fuch a Proceeding, asked by what Evidence he had been convicted, and by what Judges he had been condemned. The Rebels laughed at him for asking fuch a Question: Whereupon the Prefident intreated them to fave his Life, and fhut him up in a close Prison, that he might finish a Work, which would be loft by his Death, to the great Prejudice of the State. Thofe Cruel and Rebellious Men, far from granting him his Request, had much ado to allow him a fufficient Time to confefs his Sins, and caufed him to be hanged upon the Spot. Several Readers may be well pleased to find here the Original Words of a very Authentick Author.

"Eodemque tempore (about the latter End of the "Year 1591.) miffi, qui Briffonium Præfidem in Senatum venientem ad minus caftellum fifterent, qui miferum hominem nihil tale cogitantem ad S. Michae"lis pontem nacti per vicum ad dextram pofitum, "quafi in publicis urbis ædibus expectaretur, avertunt, " & cum fub fornice caftelli minoris effet, in horren"dum carcerem detrudunt, ubi Cromæum hominem "fibi infeftiffimum paludatum obviam habuit, qui "ftatim ipfum galero dempto in genua procumbere "juffit: Tum fententia contra eum, tanquam divinæ "humanæque majeftatis reum peractum, & proditio"nis convictum,lata recitatur. Qua audita ille attonitus "quæfivit primum, quibus ab judicibus condemnatus, quibus indiciis ac teftibus convictus effet. Cum

<hanc

*

They were bigotted Roman Catholicks, who took up Arms against Henry III. their Lawful King, a Prince of their own Religion.

"hanc defenfionem riderent adftantes, & quod in "ftaret agere eum juberent, ad miferas preces con"verfus mortem deprecatus eft, & muris includi ad "abfolvendum opus, quod morte ejus magno reipub"licæ detrimento peribat, petiit. Tandem poft caffas preces, vix fpatio ad peccata confitendum conceffo, "ad fcalam tigno affixam, Cromeo urgente fufpenditur, & compreffis laqueo faucibus, à carnifice necatur, coram Buffio, aliifque compluribus ". Thuamus, Hiftoriarum Lib. 102. pag. 198, 199. Genevæ

86

The Arbitrary Proceedings of those bigotted Rebels againft Prefident Briffon, bring into my Thoughts a remarkable Paffage, which I have read in the Hiftory of the Reformed Churches of France, written by Beza. I befeech all my Readers to make their Reflexions upon it, and to confider how a falfe Zeal for Religion does frequently deprive Men of all Senfe of Humanity.

66

In the Year 1562, John Teronde, a Proteftant Advocate, was beheaded at Toulouse by Virtue of a Sentence of the Parliament, though he was not found guilty. Here follows the Sentence pronounced against him. † Mr. Teronde, the Court DOES NOT FIND 66 YOU GUILTY IN THE LEAST However, being very well informed of your inward Thoughts, (de l'interieur de voftre Confcience,) and that you "would

*That City is famous for its Bigotry. See my Account of Vaninus's Trial in the firft Volume, Art. LXXVII.

† Monfieur Teronde, la Cour, par le difcours "de voftre procés ne vous a trouvé aucunement coul65 pable toutes fois d'ailleurs tres bien advertie de "l'interieur de voftre Confcience, & que vous euffiez "éfté tres aife que ceux de voftre malheureuse & "reprouvée Se&te euffent eu la victoire (comme auffi vous les avez tous jours favorifés) vous condamne a perder la tefte, & a confifqué vos biens fans nulle "detraction.

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